Monday, 9 February 2015

for my first trip to Thailand and Cambodia!

Over the past few weeks I have been asked time and time again how I am feeling about my trip....I must confess it goes something like this...

I find it one of those bizarre questions, like I am not sure what they think I am going to answer. Of course I am excited! Who isn't when heading off overseas on a trip to a country they have never been before.But there are other emotions that go along with that as well.My first stop is Thailand, I have never been but everyone who has, has told me how much they loved it, which makes me even more excited. I arrive in Bangkok the day before my tour begins so I have time to myself to explore the city.

After doing one in Vietnam last year and enjoying it so much, I am doing another Intrepid tour that goes for 10 days starting and finishing in Bangkok and travelling through Chiang Mai, H'mong Lodge, Sukhothai, and Kanchanaburi/River Kwai. People say that I am brave for heading off overseas by myself but I almost always do a tour of some description as I am not quite brave enough to head off and explore on my own! I still like to have other people around me and the knowledge of the local guides.

When Kelly Exeter shared this picture on her Facebook page last week it really resonated with me and I just had to share it!

After the tour I have a few nights to myself in Phuket before heading to Cambodia to start my volunteer project. This is where most of the nervousness and anxiety comes in. Naturally the first question people ask is about what I am doing whilst in Cambodia....and the answer is....

This is my very serious "I don't know face!"

I have requested to be placed in a Childcare position but there are no guarantees. My booklet tells me that my placement will not be known until I arrive in Cambodia to ensure that all volunteers who are starting at the same time as I am are placed in the most suitable placements and where there is the most need at the time. Once I arrive I will meet with local staff in Phnom Penh and they will have drawn up a potential placement for me which we will discuss and go from there. All accommodation and meals are part of the volunteer fee that I have paid and my booklet tells me that is it simple and basic and that I can expect to share a room with one or two other volunteers and that there will be running water and electricity and in most cases there will be a TV and internet access.Each day I will work from 8am until approximately 5pm with a 2 hour lunch break in the middle! Weekends are free for me to do what I like and so I am looking forward to exploring the other areas of Cambodia. My placement lasts for 4 weeks and then I have a few nights of luxury booked at Singapore on my way home!So whilst I am nervous, anxious and a little scared the main emotion that I am feeling about going is excited. I am excited to be heading off to explore new countries, experience new cultures and things, I am excited to be pushed out of my comfort zone and learn more about myself and help others along the way. I look forward to using this blog as a means to share this journey with you.Linking up with Kirsty at My Home Truths for I Must Confess and Alicia at One Mother Hen for Open Slather!(PS...apologies for my absences....I have moved over to a custom domain and had a few little hiccups along the way which meant my blog went down for a few days! I am SO useless at all this techy stuff!! I plan on making up for it with a vengeance this week before I go!)